Green And Getting Greener

I’m proud to announce that Ottawa is officially the first national wildlife refuge with an electric vehicle charging station!

The Refuge already owned several large solar panels that rest in front of the Visitor Center. These supplement our geothermal power to provide electricity to the building. Now they serve an additional purpose: charging your car.

No graphic design experience? No problem! I had the opportunity to craft my very first official sign (pictured above) which now sits above the charging station. 

Before the May birding craze began, Ottawa Refuge held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the charging station installation. Congresswoman and long time supporter of the refuge Marcy Kaptur attended the ceremony and charged our very first vehicle.

This station, the only one of its kind for an hour’s drive in every direction, provides a convenient stopping point for travelers from Toledo to Cleveland. That’s just one more reason for folks to stop at this tremendous refuge!

Ottawa welcomed friend of the refuge Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur to the ribbon cutting.

Ready? Feather Or Not….

The warblers are coming!

Soon the warblers will pause in our woods as they continue their migration north. At that time, we expect tens of thousands of birders to flock to the area to witness this event.

Ottawa’s Visitor Services team is here to ensure that those birders have as incredible and memorable an experience as humanly possible. Starting tomorrow, we’re hosting bus tours, stewardship events, tram tours, along with providing roving interpreters and staffing an informational booth next door at Magee Marsh. Oh, and we’re still hosting field trips.

In order to accomplish this all, we’ve called in the reinforcements. Five Rangers from other national wildlife refuges , called detailees, are here at Ottawa on temporary assignment. We also have a number of short term volunteers assisting with programming.

We spent the beginning of the week in a massive sixteen hour orientation. While we bombarded our newcomers with site information and tour logistics, we also found time to practice identifying our flying friends. That’s right, we get paid to bird. Enjoy these snapshots from our week, and get ready for the chaos of spring migration to begin!

Behold our  Visitor Services team! Pictured from left to right: Bill Hall, Big Muddy NFWR’s Anna Weyers, Carla Hall, (behind) Dave Cesaratto, (in front) Caitlin Verdu AKA the author, Cabeza Prieta NWR’s Margot Bissell, Ottawa NWR’s Rebecca Lewis, Ottawa NWR Association’s Heidi Hughes, FWS Ohio Field Office’s Keith Lott, Ottawa NWR’s Justin Woldt, and Ottawa NWR’s Brandon Gabler.

We spent an afternoon roaming the famous Magee Marsh boardwalk. In a week, we expect this path to be nearly impassible, crammed to capacity with birders searching for warblers.

Anybody home? These dirt towers are made by crayfish. While this one is situated behind Magee Marsh’s Migratory Bird Center, Ottawa has several of its own in the native plant garden behind the Visitor Center.

Unrelated to orientation, but a lovely view nonetheless. With longer and warmer days upon us, it’s wonderful to spend early evenings relaxing on the pier.

A warbler, perhaps? Rebecca Lewis, Heidi Hughes,and Anna Weyers search the Magee Marsh boardwalk during orientation.

While learning the bus route on Darby Marsh, the group pauses to check out a yellow warbler. Normally closed to the public, visitors can reserve a seat on our guided bus tours to explore Cedar Point NWR and Darby Marsh throughout May. Pictured from left to right: Big Muddy NWR’s Anna Weyers, Detroit River INWR’s Jennie Braatz, Cabeza Prieta NWR’s Margot Bissell, & Ottawa NWR’s Brandon Gabler.

Sunset on the swallow house!

Ottawa NWR’s Visitor Services Manager Justin Woldt leads the way! He’s recruited all of our temporary staff, provided extensive training, and scheduled everything that’s happening everywhere on Ottawa property for the next month. Here, he takes a moment to relax and enjoy the birds. Pictured: Justin Woldt, Big Muddy’s Anna Weyers

The Birds & The Bees (& the Snakes & the Slugs & So Much More!)

Snakes, turtles, birds, and slugs–everyone at Ottawa is enjoying the beautiful weather! This week’s post gives you a peek of spring on the refuge. If you’re reading from afar, don’t despair. You have your own exciting outdoor adventures just beyond your doorstep. Go forth and explore!

Opening the Auto Tour  I came across a red-winged blackbird posing in front of the sunrise. The male blackbirds (the ones with the orange/reddish patches) arrived by the thousands a while back. A week or so later, the females came to join them. Ever since their reunion, their distinctive conk-la-reeeee song sounds much happier (though that’s admittedly rather anthropomorphic)!

Watch your step! Snakes are enjoying our warm weather by basking in the sun. Ottawa refuge is home to numerous species including water snakes (pictured above), garter snakes, and eastern fox snakes. But don’t worry: there are no venomous snakes in this part of Ohio!

An early morning hike along the boardwalk reveals dozens of splendid dew covered spider webs.

Nothing lifts your spirits like a walk through the woods! When was the last time you took the time to enjoy some fresh air?

What a tree! Far off the beaten path, I saw this bur oak for the first time this week. Look for the giant shaggy acorns of this species in along our South Woods trails.

And lastly, my favorite wildlife sighting of the week goes to this adorable slug. Tiny and inquisitive, it investigated my finger while I took its picture!

Tiny Turtle Alert

Too cute! This tiny painted turtle was sunning itself on our sidewalk last weekend. For size reference, you can see my nail in the bottom left corner.

 

Torna-do’s and Torna-don’ts: Under Prepared and Under Attack

It began one dark and stormy night. (Credit to Klaquax: https://www.flickr.com/photos/klaquax/)

Lightning illuminates the marsh in tremendous electric slashes. Thunder clashes from seemingly every direction. It’s just another evening thunderstorm. Or it is, until the sirens begin.

This week Ottawa Refuge experienced its first tornado warning of the season. As a Virginian, tornadoes have never been an issue for me. Many years ago I saw (and was terrified by) the movie Twister, but that was the extent of my knowledge on the topic.

When the sirens sounded, I realized that may not have been sufficient preparation.

Don’t Be Like Me, Do Your Homework
Since then, I have briefly investigated the topic online. For those interested in the earth sciences, I’d strongly recommend you look further into the subject.  But here’s a ten second summary:

Tornadoes form from special thunderstorms called supercells. As with regular thunderstorms, you first need a certain mix of cold dry air and warm moist air. Then, according to Brian Clark Howard of National Geographic, a thunderstorm reaches supercell status if it has winds that increase in strength and change direction with height. These ingredients combine at high speeds and presto! You have a tornado.

At least that’s the grossly oversimplified version. Wind speed, humidity, downdrafts, and temperature are also critical elements. But even scientists still aren’t completely sure why some thunderstorms result in tornadoes or how tornadoes dissipate.

Don’t take a picture of a tornado. Unwilling and unable to take my own picture, I’ll settle for this one. (Credit to Paolo Dala at https://www.flickr.com/photos/impaolothegreat/)

Don’t Lose Your Head: Stay Calm And Take Cover
Lacking a basement (the ideal tornado shelter) I drag a mattress into the bathroom with unexpected ease (thank goodness for adrenaline-induced super strength). With a quick curse to my lack of foresight, I dash around the house grabbing storm essentials. After I find my flashlight, cell phone, and weather radio I haul on boots and duck under the mattress. Fortunately, tornadoes are fairly short-lived. A gripping half hour later I read that the storm is long gone.

Thankfully, the tornado did not actually test the strength of my makeshift shelter.

So what are the takeaways from my exhilarating Thursday night? Tornadoes are a bit confusing, and more than a little intimidating. Do learn from my mistakes and create your storm plan before you need it.

Because while nature is incredible, but there are some phenomenon that you just don’t need to witness firsthand.

---

 

See: Howard, Brian Clark. “Tornadoes: The Science Behind the Destruction.” 4-28-2014: Link to Article
Thanks to Paul Judge 2LT for pun assistance

 

 

 

Here Come the Birds!

Spring has sprung, the ice has melted, and the birds are flocking to Ottawa. Each day I’m greeted with Disney-movie-esque wildlife encounters as muskrat, rabbits, and more birds than ever before parade around my front porch.

A weasel in the neighborhood, perhaps? 

However, with great weather comes great responsibility. Our daily visitor count is skyrocketing and only predicted to increase. This visitor migration comes with an exponential growth in the number of questions our staff fields each day. What birds will we see out there? What hawk fits the following description? How do you tell a tree swallow from a barn swallow?

In anticipation of this busy season I’ve been studying up on our feathered friends all winter. I can now confidently tell you when a flying blob off in the distance is a duck by its shaky, frantic wing beats. I know my common mergansers from my hooded mergansers, and my hooded mergansers from my equally-hooded buffleheads. But with an astounding 308 species of avian species recorded at Ottawa, I still have a long way to go until I’ve mastered identifying our feathered friends. Many of my coworkers and Refuge volunteers claim that they still aren’t experts, despite years and years of birding experience. (I think they’re just being modest).

Nonetheless, in May our birding knowledge will be put to the test as thousands of experts from across the globe head to the Refuge to witness our iconic famous warbler migration.

How hard could it be to identify warblers?

Of the 30ish species, the majority of warblers are tiny and some combination of white, black, gray, and yellow. Rather unhelpfully, the males and females often look quite distinct. So how does one tell a Virginia Warbler from a Nashville Warbler from a Golden Winged warbler?

Keeping a nature journal is a great way to learn new species. As you can see from this page in my own notebook, no artistic skill is required!

It seems to be a question of “finding the yellow.” Isolating the yellow parts of your mystery bird (face, head, breast, body, etc.) is supposed to be a major step towards a successful identification.

What helps one person ID a bird may seem absurd to another. Find what works for you and stick with it unabashedly!

When in doubt, there’s one tactic that never fails: Ask for help! There’s always going to be someone more experienced than you, so why not take advantage of their expertise? After all, experiencing the natural world is an activity best shared with others!

A Potato With A Beak

As dusk falls on the Refuge a nasally PEEEEENNNT fills the air. The American woodcock wooing has begun.

If you’ve ever skimmed through Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac you may remember the brief chapter dedicated to this oddball bird. Ever the early riser, Leopold would follow the distinctive calls at sunrise to witness this bird’s fantastic mating ritual. Fortunately for me, the woodcock repeats its performance in the more reasonable twilight hours.

At first glance, this bird doesn’t look like anything special. With drab coloring and a potato shape, it could easily be overlooked. Perhaps quite literally, as it is superbly camouflaged.  But if you are fortunate enough to observe the woodcock mating dance, I guarantee you’ll never forget this bird.

The American Woodcock is incredibly well camouflaged and nearly impossible to spot on the ground.  Photo by Paco Lyptic

At dawn and dusk of the spring months, the male birds hide in the brush peenting their affections for the females nearby. Then they fly straight up in the air, almost out of sight, with a cheerful twittering song. Finally they come crashing back down to the ground at breakneck speeds in frantic zigzag maneuvers.  This erratic flight looks more like a plane that’s lost steering control than a carefully coordinated dive. Nonetheless the birds safely land back in the brush next to their female counterparts, and the peenting begins again.

Look for these fascinating creatures along open fields. And if you happen to hear the telltale song (found here: Woodcock Peent), do yourself a favor and take a moment to look around. You don’t want to miss this!

Prowling for Owls: Part Two

Whoooo wouldn’t want to see a great horned owl? (Credit to Susan Rachlin, FWS)

Circled up on the deck, we crane our necks to search the branches above.

Among my group of eager Prowlers is talented naturalist and expert owl imitator Chris Knoll. He’s generously offered to provide the owl calls for this evening. As we gaze up at the woods he skillfully whistles the ghostly whinny of the eastern screech owl.

(Can’t imagine the sound? Check out Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology to hear for yourself Eastern Screech Owl Call)

We wait motionless in breathless anticipation.

After last night’s recon, I am fully expecting an Owl-less Prowl. During the indoor introduction, I present my disclaimer to the eager visitors. The sad truth is no one has managed to see an owl on one of these programs for years. The group, a cheerful mix of familiar faces and Ottawa Refuge newcomers, is undeterred. Armed with binoculars, rain jackets, and a healthy sense of wonder, these lovely folks are ready for the search.

Back in the forest, a sudden movement catches my eye. No way.

A screech owl has come to investigate us! Moments later its mate joins in. They rest in branches almost directly overhead.

Behold the eastern screech owl! It was too dark on the Prowl for pictures, but these adorable creatures were overhead. (Photo credit to Jeff Whitlock)

So there we stand, humans rapidly whispering in excitement and screech owls cocking their heads in curiosity. As we move further down the path, content to let the owls continue with their night, I hear a visitor behind me: “That was so freaking cool.”

So freaking cool indeed.

Prowling For Owls: Part One

It’s 8:00 PM and the woods are quiet. Too quiet. I’m scoping out the forest in preparation for my first Owl Prowl.  The lovely spring weather has disappeared. As I shrink into my winter coat (and hat and gloves and scarf) I struggle to listen for distant hoots.

I head into the woods just as the sunset fades behind the horizon. Surely the owls will be up!

I know that there are Great Horned and Eastern Screech owls nesting in these woods. Right along the trail you’ll find plenty of tree hollows (prime owl real estate), whitewash (bird poop) and pellets (the owl equivalent of hairballs). So there is no doubt in my mind that owls are in the area. In fact, I heard them just that afternoon. But where are they?

Looks like someone didn’t finish their rabbit. But where did the diner rush off to?

Perhaps they have already eaten and are hunkered down for the evening. Maybe I’ve made too much noise and they are silently waiting for the intruder to leave. Or perhaps the adults are off hunting, and have given strict instructions that the kids not to talk to strangers (if the owlets have even hatched).

Ten perfect owl calls at the press of a button AND a killer pun? Priceless.

In any event, they are thoroughly ignoring me. Up until this point I’ve been calling them with my handheld hooting device, hilariously marketed as an Identiflyer. Sheepishly, I put my recording away and resolve to attempt the Great Horned call on my own. Hoo-Hoo-Hooot Hoot Hooooot! Later, Executive Director of our Friends group and owl aficionada Heidi Hughes explains that attempting my own calls is the right decision. I’m confused. Does she really think my poor imitation is more convincing than the official recordings? Oh no, she explains, the recording sounds like a healthy male which may intimidate the owls. Your call sounds weak and sickly. They might mistake you for an easy meal and come to investigate.

Whooooo are you looking at? This model Great Horned Owl skull lets you see just how big their eyes are. Alas, that doesn’t leave much space for their brain. Which means contrary to common belief, owls are actually quite dumb. Who knew?

Nevertheless, my hoots don’t pique any owls’ curiosity. Disappointed, I begin the trek back towards the parking lot. When I finally reach the edge of the forest I’m cold, frustrated, and nervous about disappointing tomorrow’s Owl Prowlers. But all of those feelings are soon forgotten as I step out of the woods and onto the boardwalk. There’s a most magnificent light show glistening over the Refuge. Orion’s belt sparkles just above the Visitor Center. Previously hidden by the canopy, I discover that the Big Dipper has been directly overhead this whole time. And though they often evade me, tonight the Little Dipper and the North Star positively radiate in the sky. This cold, quiet night has more than made up for the missing owls. As I head to my car I realize I was worrying about the Owl Prowl for nothing. Any hike through the Refuge is mystery just waiting to be uncovered. So what will you see out in the marsh, you ask? There’s only one way to find out!

“Cold” Doesn’t Quite Capture It

It’s been a long cold winter at Ottawa. Heading into March, I’m hopeful that this will be the last opportunity I have to share snow pictures. Then again, my coworkers tell me that we may not see open water until mid-April….fingers crossed he’s wrong!

 

Many of the trees are more ice than plant! With sub-freezing temperatures for nearly all of February, this ice never had a chance to melt.

 

Heading to work when it’s -6? I’m not in Virginia anymore! Though we had much less snow this year than last, this February was the second coldest month recorded at Ottawa. No one was especially excited to break this record.

 

Watch your step behind the Visitor Center. Last week, after freezing my parking brake, windshield fluid, and olive oil, the cold went after our sidewalks.

 

With such flat land, the vicious wind has turned what should be an even layer of snow into a strange system of peaks and valleys.

 

Our roads are frozen. Our trees are frozen. Our open water is super frozen. Let’s see some sun, March!

 

Eager to break out the snow-shoes? Watch where you step!  I’d estimate there’s a foot and a half of snow on the forest floor.  Good thing I arrived before winter or I wouldn’t be able to find the trails!

 

I wonder what animal left this bizarrely articulate track?

 

Fingers crossed the next post will be decidedly warmer!